Official blog of Taste Master Western Australia. I’m on the food-loving adventure of a lifetime, foraging my way through WA’s culinary and geographical awesomeness!

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10 December 2013

Speed Grazing in the Swan Valley

Hello there folks.

This week I’ve been hanging out with American uber-blogger Adam Roberts aka The Amateur Gourmet.

Adam is a food blogger from New York and is in Perth to take part in a food blog conference. He’s been writing about his (mis)adventures in the culinary world for about a decade and writes honest, funny stories about trying to cook.

Today we were taken on a ‘speed grazing’ tour of the Swan Valley with Taste Bud Tours.

The Swan Valley is situated about 13km from the heart of Perth city and has a nationally awarded food and wine trail. The aim of the tour is to introduce passengers to the people behind the label and provide an insight into the growth, harvest, development and production of the food, wine and beer of the region. So off we go!

Taste Bud Tours

It’s an early pick up, so first stop on today’s agenda is the Yahava Koffee Works. They roast all their coffee beans in-house and give visitors a coffee tasting education like you’d expect with wine at a winery. I can really taste the difference, from bitter tones to citrus tangs.

Different stages of roasting

Head roaster Gary showing us how it’s done

Cooling down the coffee beans

Trying some of the good stuff at Yahava Koffee Works

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After a brief stop at Cape Lavender for some lavender scones and tea and a look at a giant coffee percolator at Mago Coffee (number four on my Big Things List) it was time to see Dale at the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery to try some genuine Australian bush tucker.

Cape Lavender for tiny cups of tea and scones…

…before a giant coffee percolator at Mago Coffee

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This is where I had my first taste of kangaroo brawn. It’s generally made with kangaroo tail, egg, potato, carrot and peas in gelatine. A kind of free form pork pie without the pastry.

OK folks, quiz time. Fill in the blank

Coffee. Lavender scones. Lavender tea. Kangaroo brawn. ……………

If you said ice-cream give yourself a pat on the back!

We’re at Oggies Ice Creamery and just look at those wimps. I’ve got a double scoop of rum and raisin, and strawberry cheese cake and they’ve opted for a single. Tsk tsk!

Right, now it’s best foot forward as we head on over to the House of Honey, where I’ve been using their delicious chilli honey in stir fry’s ever since…

…and then Windy Creek Wines (where I sampled ALL these plus, some reds and a couple of ports)…